Sir Anish Kapoor, the British-Indian sculptor, has launched an outspoken attack on the Indian government as he backed a wave of top Indian artists, writers and scientists who have returned prestigious national awards.

They have been sending back their honours in protest at what they have condemned as “growing intolerance” in the country following the murder of a well-known scholar and the lynching of a Muslim man.

Sir Anish Kapoor has backed a wave of top Indian artists, writers and scientists who have returned national awards Photo: David Rose/The Telegraph

“Art can only have a home where there is tolerance,” said Sir Anish, who has lived in Britain since the 1970s.

“All good-thinking Indians will recognise the atmosphere of intolerance and intimidation that prevails in our Indian society today. How then can we find creativity or the possibility of expression in this atmosphere of fear?

“Our government encourages the hate that lies dormant in our great Indian psyche. Can our leaders not see that our tradition has always thrived on our openness and tolerance?”

Sir Salman Rushdie has also voiced his support for the artists returning awards during what he termed “alarming times for free expression in India”.

Sir Salman Rushdie has also voiced his support for the artists returning awards Photo: Barcroft

The protests have escalated as Mr Modi prepares for a high-profile visit to London when he hold meetings at Downing Street, attend lunch with the Queen at Buckingham Palace and address an estimated 70,000 expatriate Indians at Wembley Stadium.

Mr Modi’s cabinet allies have condemned the mass return of awards as a politically-orchestrated campaign to discredit the prime minister as he faces a key election in Bihar, one of India’s largest states.

Priti Patel, the conservative MP and David Cameron’s Indian diaspora envoy, has previously criticised Sir Anish’s criticisms of Mr Modi.

Priti Patel MP Photo: Rex Features

"Kapoor has spent the last 40 years living in the UK and is an artist,” said Ms Patel, who will play an important role in Mr Modi’s London trip. “He has no record as an expert on politics or commentator on Indian affairs.”

The artists’ protests erupted after the murder of Malleshappa Kalburgi, a prominent rationalist scholar who had angered conservative Hindus with his criticism of “idol worship” and religion.

Mr Kalburgi was a previous winner of the Sahitya Akademi award handed out by the National Academy of Letters, a department under the auspices of Mahesh Sharma, the culture minister and a leading Modi party ally.

Fellow Sahitya Akademi winners returned their awards because they were angered that the academy did not speak out about his fate.